Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26
Devanagari script
परेषामनपेक्ष्यैव कृतप्रतिकृतं हि यः । प्रवर्तते हितायैव स सुहृत्प्रोच्यते बुधैः
Transliteration
pareṣāmanapekṣyaiva kṛtapratikṛtaṃ hi yaḥ | pravartate hitāyaiva sa suhṛtprocyate budhaiḥ
Translation
不依待他人而先行，只为他人福祉而作，并以善报善者，智者称之为真正的朋友。
Word by Word
pareṣāmof others
pareṣām:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; 'of others'
anapekṣyawithout expecting (anything)
anapekṣya:
Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootan-apa-√īkṣ (धातु) → apekṣya (कृदन्त)
Formक्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — 'without considering/without expecting'
evaindeed
eva:
Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formनिपात — अवधारण
kṛta-pratikṛtama favor and its return (reciprocity)
kṛta-pratikṛtam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛta (कृदन्त) + pratikṛta (कृदन्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (कृतं च प्रतिकृतं च) — 'benefit and return-benefit/reciprocity'
hiindeed
hi:
Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
Formनिपात — निश्चय/हेतु
yaḥwho
yaḥ:
Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)
pravartateacts/engages
pravartate:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√vṛt (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्
hitāyafor welfare/benefit
hitāya:
Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Roothita (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the welfare)
evaonly/indeed
eva:
Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formनिपात — अवधारण
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (Main subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
suhṛta true friend
suhṛt:
Karta-bhāva (Predicate complement/विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootsuhṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)
procyateis called
procyate:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√vac (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)
budhaiḥby the wise
budhaiḥ:
Karana/Agent (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
TypeNoun
Rootbudha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
Speaker
Indradyumna (contextual continuation of his reflection on friendship)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A didactic vignette: a traveler-friend offers water, shade, and guidance to another without being asked; in the background, a tīrtha path with a well and a small shrine underscores pilgrimage ethics.
Characters & Entities
S
Suhṛt (true friend)B
Budha (the wise)FAQs
Friendship in dharma is measured by selfless initiative and active concern for another’s good.
No tīrtha is referenced; the verse is an ethical definition within the narrative.
None; the prescription is moral conduct—repaying kindness and acting for others’ welfare.